CHRESTOMATHY

PRONUNCIATION: (kres-TOM-uh-thee)

MEANING: noun:
1. A volume of selected literary passages, usually by one author.
2. A selection of literary passages from a foreign language, especially one assembled for studying a language.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek chrestomatheia, from chrestos (useful) + manthanein (to learn). These two parts of the word ultimately derive from Indo-European gher- (to like or want) which gave us yearn, charisma, greedy, exhort; and mendh- (to learn) that resulted in the terms mathematics and polymath. Earliest documented use: 1832.
_____________________________

CHRESTOMATH - numerology applied to literature

CHRESTOPATHY - your father's selection of one author's works

CHRISTOMATHY - a concordance of the New Testament